Such Sad Eyes
by vampyremiyu
Summary: With Shinichi's birthday appoaching, Ran is getting depressed. But what can Conan do to cheer her up when it's practically his fault? Angsty fluff. Shinichi/Ran, Conan/Ran. Oneshot.


SUCH SAD EYES  
A Detective Conan/Case Closed Ficlet

Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess

AUTHOR'S NOTES: A little something I pulled out of my muses after rewatching the second movie. Shinichi/Ran and Conan/Ran angst and romance. Told from Conan's point of view. A Standard Disclaimer follows the story.

--

Such sad eyes.

I can see them as clearly now as I did several hours ago. They were the deepest shade of blue, like two shimmering sapphires. So pretty and yet so...lost. Empty. Hopeless.

She was holding back tears when she came home from school. Then again while making dinner. She was quiet as we ate, staring endlessly into her food. And the tears were almost there when I told her I was going to visit Dr. Agasa.

"Don't stay out too late, Conan."

"I won't."

But there was no mistaking the sob I heard when I closed the door.

I hate it when she's sad. Worse still when she cries. Ran Mouri can be overly emotional at times, but I'd rather she karate chop my behind than listen to her cry.

Even if it's all my fault.

My name's Conan. Conan Edogawa. But it's merely an alias for my new self. My eight year old self. My real name is Shinichi Kudo and I'll be eighteen tomorrow.

Why the age difference? I don't now for sure myself. One minute I'm chasing bad guys -- world famous young detective I am -- and the next, well, my world got a whole lot bigger. I, on the other hand, got smaller. It's a mystery I've been trying to solve for a whole year.

A mystery Ran doesn't know about.

She thinks Shinichi's off chasing bad guys overseas. It's a story only a select few, including my parents, are keeping closely guarded. I can never tell her the truth. These people are ruthless. Dangerous. I can't risk her saftey.

The trade off? I get to be near her. To talk to her. To learn more about her. To see her brilliant smile.

To see her cry.

She doesn't shed tears often, but I know Shinichi's disappearing act has been weighing heavily on her. Troubling her. Frustrating her. When I see her like that, I want to comfort her. To hold her. Tell her everything will be okay.

But what can an eight year old do?

Besides, she'd never believe me.

"Something troubling you, Shinichi?"

I nod unconsciously, letting out a breath I'd been holding. "I've got no clues, no leads and I'm two hours from turning eight. Again."

"Chin up," Dr. Agasa replies, holding up a new pair of sneakers. "You'll catch them."

I take the sneakers with a smile, an upgrade to the ones I currently wore. My feet were outgrowing them. The doctor promised them to me as something of a birthday present, and I couldn't wait to try out the added features. Tying the strings tightly I wiggle my feet. A little big, but they'll fit perfectly in no time. If the past year is any indication, I'm due for a short growth spurt in a few months.

"That's not the only thing that's bothering you, is it?"

I shake my head, again unconsciously. "My birthday is coming up."

"Shinichi's birthday?" I nod and the doctor hums to himself. "And Ran is sad, perhaps?"

"Depressed is more like it."

"Has Shinichi called her lately?"

"No..." The last time I used my bowtie to imitate myself was five months ago. And that had been for a case Ran's father was screwing up royally. But I didn't talk to her directly. That had been two months before that. Seven months total.

Maybe I should call her.

"You should."

I know my last thought was not spoken aloud, yet Dr. Agasa knew exactly what I was thinking. Ran may cheer up hearing my -- Shinichi's -- voice. He smiles, patting the top of my head. It's an annoying gesture, but I know he really cares. I smile in return.

"Yeah. I will."

As I wonder upstairs from the doctors basement laboratory, I can't help but smile. Ran would have to cheer up. Even if just a little.

It would also settle my own anxious heart, my feet moving faster towards the telephone.

I feel like a teenager again, dialing her phone number. The caller ID won't pick up this phone. The good doctor has seen to that. It's a small measure of security for me, knowing that Ran won't be able to trace the call. But a part of me is apprehensive. If only I could look her in the eye, tell her everything.

See something other than those sad eyes.

"Hello?"

Adjusting my bowtie, I channel the proper vocal tones so that I sound like my old self. "Ran, it's me..."

"Shinichi?" She's surprised. Stunned. I'm almost afraid she's stopped breathing.

"How are you?"

"I..." I heard her choke back a sob as she tried to pull herself together. "I'm fine. Good." She pauses, taking a shaky breath. "How...are you?"

She's been crying again. My heart clenches. Why didn't I think of this sooner? "I'm good. How's school?"

I get the complete rundown of school events, class projects, and student details. Gauging her emotion at this point is difficult. She sounds chipper, more alive as she talks about her friends and the karate club. But as her explanations draw to a close her voice loses all emotion, save one.

"Sounds like everything's going well."

"Yeah, I guess."

Sadness.

"So...are you still...working on that case, Shinichi?"

I try not to sigh, knowing where the conversation will go from here. "Yeah. It's a real mess. The details get more complicated every day."

"Any closer to finding the creep and putting him behind bars?

I frown. "No." I was no closer to finding the guys who shrunk me, let alone an antidote. It angered and baffled me.

"You sound frustrated."

Now, I can't help but sigh. She's smarter than I sometimes give her credit for. So much for hiding my emotions.

"I am." And not just about a case.

"Maybe you should take some time off," she offered. There was the barest hint of hope in her voice. A strangled cry that tore at my heart.

"I can't leave, Ran. Not in the middle of an investigation."

"I know, Shinichi." She sobs again. "I just... I miss you."

My heart practically screams my response, "I miss you, too." A pause. "Perhaps when things settle down, I'll come for a visit."

"Something will come up," she replied. "Something always comes up."

"I mean it, Ran." And I did. Maybe, if I was lucky, I'd have another kink and turn back into my teenage self. But so far, my luck hasn't been that good. Yet, I held onto my confidence long enough to transfer it to her over the phone. "I don't know when yet, but I really do mean it."

"I'm sure dad will be happy to see you," she jested.

"Oh, I'm sure," I reply with a good-humored chuckle. Her father, Detective Mouri, couldn't stand Conan, let alone Shinichi Kudou. "How's business?"

"Steady," she answered, although I'm sure she meant to add "now that you're not around." But it went without saying.

"Are you eating okay? They're not keeping you too busy are they?"

"Busy enough to keep me out of trouble."

She tried to laugh, but the sound was muffled and half-hearted. "Yeah, right. You stay out of trouble?"

"Hey, it is possible you know."

"Possible, yes. Probable, not really."

"Ran..." Her voice is sadder than I've ever heard, and I can still picture those dark blue eyes. "I have to go. A briefing with the police commissioner."

"Oh." My heart stops as I hear another sob escape her. "Will I...I mean, you will call me again. Right?"

"Of course I will."

"And you'll visit soon?"

"As soon as I can."

"Promise?"

I pause, knowing that this could be a promise I may never be able to keep. I don't like making those kind of commitments. But for her...if it'll cheer her up just a little...

"I promise."

"Stay out of trouble, Shinichi. I mean it."

"I will."

Silence looms for only a second, but it feels like eternity.

"Shinichi?"

"Yeah."

"Happy birthday."

I manage a smile. "You remembered."

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

More silence. Neither one of us wants to say goodbye. It really hurts. So I say the next best thing.

"Good night, Ran."

"Good night, Shinichi."

As I hang up the phone, an idea strikes me. A good one. No, it's not a permanent solution, but if it'll make her smile, for only a moment...

"Dr. Agasa, can we stop at the store before you take me home?"

"Of course. But why?"

"I have an idea."

After a quick stop, Dr. Agasa drops me off in front of the Mouri Detective Agency. My new home. There are no lights in the main window, indicating that the good detective himself is out. Probably having ten drinks too many. And Ran is probably in her room. I shake my head, not wanting to see those eyes again.

Opening the main door, there is indeed no one around. Trudging through the dark, I head into the kitchen. I grab two bowls from a shelf and two spoons from a drawer. With everything organized on a tray, I head back the hallway where a dim light permeates the darkness.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

"Ran?"

"Conan? You're home."

I can hear her tears in her voice and I cringe. "May I come in?"

"Hold on a sec."

There's some shuffling and I hear her blow her nose before moving more stuff around. The tray is starting to get heavy with everything on it, but the door opens before I have to sit it down.

"Hi," I say, hefting the tray to keep it in my hands.

Thankfully, she takes the tray from me and ushers me into her room. Sitting it on her desk, she looks over the contents carefully. "Conan, what's all this?"

"A surprise."

"Surprise?"

I can feel the heat in my cheeks as I try to explain without giving it away. "You've been down lately, and I just...wanted to cheer you up."

"That's so sweet," she replied, taking a closer look at the tray. "And you got mint chocolate chip ice cream."

It's her favorite. I shuffle my feet, embarrassed by her smile. "Yeah."

But behind that smile are such sad eyes.

I'll make them go away someday. I promise, Ran.

"Well..." She's unsure of what else to say, and then she motions to her desk chair. "Sit down. Let's have some ice cream and you can tell me about your day."

"Okay."

Until then, this is all I can do.

--FIN--

DISCLAIMER:  
I do not own any part of "Detective Conan" or "Case Closed". That prestige honor goes to creator Gosho Aoyama. The characters in this story are used without permission. No money is being made from the production of this story, so it is pointless to sue. Well, perhaps not so much pointless as unprofitable.


End file.
